DALLAS – Bolstered by an influx of talented receivers and the advantage of a full offseason including spring practice, a confident Payton Thorne represented Auburn Thursday at SEC Media Days.
“A huge difference,” Thorne said. “Last year getting here in the middle of summer, obviously that's not ideal going into a new offense, a new team, a new atmosphere.
“Now we have a set plan. You're familiar with everything. There's going to be more confidence that comes with that. I think that good things are coming because of that.
“My confidence comes from the preparation that we've put in. I think it's been a really good offseason. I'm excited for what we have to come. We've got some new weapons.”
Those weapons range from KeAndre Lambert-Smith, like Thorne a former Big Ten standout, and five-star freshman Cam Coleman, one of four in-state newcomers.
“He's been great so far,” Thorne said of Coleman, a 6-3 target who earned offensive MVP honors on A-Day. “He’s going to make a lot of plays for us this year, and Auburn is going to love him.
“He gives the ability to spread the field, both horizontally and vertically. Teams are going to have to respect that, and I can't wait to be on the field with him.”
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While Thorne is working for the first time with Lambert-Smith and Coleman, his connection with transfer receiver Sam Jackson V goes way back to their days as high school teammates in Illinois.
“He’ll be a best friend of mine for the rest of my life,” Thorne said of Jackson, against whom he played last season at California, when Sam played quarterback for the Bears before changing positions. “He’s my roommate. An awesome guy with a great heart and a desire to win. He wants to win desperately.
“I’m extremely excited that he’s here and I’m going to have a chance to throw him the ball this year.”
Thorne’s offseason preparation has included learning the playbook and terminology of Auburn’s offense under first-year coordinator Derrick Nix, head coach Hugh Freeze and quarterbacks coach Kent Austin.
Once he mastered the new offense, Thorne reviewed video of his previous college seasons, 2023 at Auburn, and his time at Michigan State, which led to footwork adjustments.
“The best quarterbacks are accurate,” he said. “It's not the guy who can throw it the farthest. It's not the guy who can run the fastest. It's the guy who gets the ball out on time and accurately that is a successful quarterback in college and in the NFL.”
Before each pass play, Thorne tries to narrow to no more than two the defense’s expected coverages, and which three receivers he might target as a result.
“That's how you play quickly, efficiently, and get the ball out of your hand,” said Thorne, who threw for 1,755 yards and 16 touchdowns last season while adding 425 rushing yards.